I have just read that in no other known world “religion” is such an enactment (symbol, picture) found … not like the “two goats” scenario of Leviticus 16, of the great Day of Atonement in the life of the nation of Israel.
Wow!
After Aaron the high Priest had carefully cleansed himself … he was instructed to: “Take two goats, and present them before the LORD at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.” Leviticus 16:7
No doubt these goats (somehow) represent Jesus Christ our Lord, the Supreme Sacrifice of all ages. The True Atonement Provider, not only for Israel’s sins but for the sins of the whole world.
Back in Moses’ day … goats did not have a “taint of disfavor” as they do these days. They were noble animals, clean too (in God’s Eyes), edible for the children of Israel.
Particularly known for their “strength” and “endurance!” Hence (at least to this extent) they typify Jesus as the Man Strong enough to endure the Cross of Calvary! Daniel 11:32 reminds us: “The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits.” How much more then, Jesus?
But back to the two goats.
“And Aaron shall cast lots upon the two goats; one lot for the LORD, and the other lot for the scapegoat.” Leviticus 16:8
Wow!
Not “lots” in the sense of gambling, mind you! But in a holy, spiritual sense. “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the LORD.” Proverbs 16:3, God’s Prerogative being the issue here.
What happens to the Lord’s “goat?”
“And Aaron shall bring the goat upon which the LORD’S lot fell, and offer him for a sin offering.” Leviticus 16:9, a graphic Picture of Jesus dying for our sins!
Expiation, propitiation, justification redemption!
Go back and read the earlier Lessons on the “sin offering” (Leviticus 4) and thrill at the Word of God! How Jesus was “made sin for us!” That we might be made “the righteousness of God” in Him, in our Lord! (Read all of 2 Corinthians 5:21, every word.)
But what about the other goat?
“But the goat, on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat, shall be presented alive before the LORD, to make an atonement with him, and to let him go for a scapegoat into the wilderness.” Leviticus 16:10
This goat too, still symbolizing Jesus in some way.
It is, I believe, a picture of Jesus “bearing our sins” and “taking them far, far away!”
“Into the wilderness,” never to be seen again!
How far has our sin been removed? “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” So says Psalm 103:12.
And this “deep” as well … “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” Micah 7:19
(I realize the New Testament gives even a more beautiful picture yet of the effects of Calvary! Where our sins are said to be “washed away” by the Blood of Jesus! Revelation 1:5, for example … “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood.” But I still get exited about thinking about the scapegoat … iniquity gone forever!)
The first goat .. the cost of our sins, what Jesus paid for us at Calvary!
The second goat … the effect of that Payment, the result of the Bloodshed Jesus “gave” on the Cross! Our sins are banished!
Now admittedly, there is more (much more) to be discovered in the study of these two goats. But at least today I have shared with you the “heart” of this amazing typology.
(Notice … no one picture can portray what Jesus did on the Cross! It takes multiple actions to come anywhere near giving us an accurate sense of what Calvary accomplished! That’s how GREAT our Saviour really is! In fact, no one Gospel could tell His whole Story! It took four, Matthew and Mark and Luke and John.)
Hallelujah, what a Saviour!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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